Linguistic and Literary Computing (Master of Arts)

(Linguistic and Literary Computing, M.A.)

General Information

Internship: Completing several internships throughout the programme is recommended particularly regarding professional orientation.

Requirements for Admission:1. Requirements for admission to the Master’s degree programme (and thereby university enrolment) are comprised of a “Bachelor of Arts” or “Bachelor or Science degree” from the same programme or an equivalent degree. Admission to the Master’s Degree programme may also depend on additional requirements. Specific degree entrance requirements may be found here and in the competences description. For further questions please contact the departmental advisor’s office. Please also note the general information on the Master’s degree programme, including information for students with degrees from abroad: International Admission.2. Admission requirements: English language skills C1 level (CEF) (proof with report cards and/or recognised certificates).

Admission Procedure: As long as the requirements for admission (suitability test) are fulfilled, there is no restriction on admission.

Brief Description

The bilingual (German and English) Master of Arts programme Linguistic and Literary Computing acquaints the students with digital resources, infrastructures and methods in regard to philology.

The two main areas of specialisation are Computer Philology and Corpus and Computer-based Linguistics.

Additionally, computer programming and an English language course (levels C1 – C2 GER) are part of the programme.

Semester Course Schedule (print version)

The degree programme is divided into five topic areas:

Digital Humanities: Introduction

Linguistic and Literary Computing

Corpus and Computer Linguistics

Computer Philology

English Language skills

Computer Science

Information on the areas of specialisation:

Computer Philology looks into questions of media-based and digital rendering of texts from literary and cultural contexts. This regards, among others, the medial aspects of texts and their digital rendering in editions, and computer-aided search in larger texts.

Corpus and Computer-based Linguistics have at their core the computer-aided analysis of linguistic data bases, the so-called corpora. Students learn the systematic and reproductable analysis of linguistic questions.

Advice for Prospective M.A. Students

While a Bachelor’s degree focuses mainly on the fundamentals of the field, the Master’s degree serves to upgrade the qualifications of graduates and to analyse the subject based on research. The Master’s degree focuses more than the Bachelor’s degree on enabling and requiring students to adopt their own major focus.

For these reasons it is recommended that students complete a Master’s degree.

Doctoral Studies

Upon successful completion of a Master of Science degree, there is the opportunity to begin working towards a Ph.D. either at the TU Darmstadt or at another national or international university. Further information on doctoral studies at TU Darmstadt:

The Master of Arts programme Linguistic and Literary Computing gives the graduates access to fields of work that require well-founded linguistic and corpus-linguistic and/or computer-philological qualifications.

The job market for linguists is generally broad and varied. Graduates are especially sought for positions at universities, in literary and linguistic teaching and research as well as in language teaching in the private school system. Other career opportunities can be found in schoolbook and textbook editing, in publishing houses (e.g. in editing), in radio, TV and newspaper editorial teams, in PR and advertisement agencies, in libraries and archives, in international organisations, Goethe Institutes, as well as in the cultural sector (e.g. as dramaturge at theaters). With additional business qualifications, they can find employment in business enterprises (e.g. in marketing and distribution or in human resources).

For this reason it is important to start early in the degree programme to gain practical work experience in relevant organisations. In this way students can promote themselves as competent professionals in practice and make important professional contacts. The likelihood of finding a good position is definitely heightened if the student is flexible when it comes to commuting or even moving abroad. Good English language skills are particularly important when it comes to the international job market.

TU Darmstadt's offer of Job Shadowingis a quick and simple method of career orientation by accompanying professionally experienced TU Darmstadt alumni for one day.

Further information about career opportunities on the German job market may be found on the following websites: